Brushes with fame: Connections, extra attention, star sightings

For some, being an extra in "Semi-Pro" is instant "stardom" ... of sorts.

... or at least free access to a bathroom.

Those who've been extras in some scenes already and some of those scheduled to be in scenes, say they aren't minding the celebrity status they seem to be getting.

Most of the extras haven't met Will Ferrell or the other A-list stars of the movie -- but a few have seen them -- but that hasn't stopped them from having brushes with fame.

"I was shooting a scene behind (Durant-Tuuri-Mott Elementary School) and I asked one lady if I could use her bathroom," said "Semi-Pro" extra Thomas Radosevich, 38, an unemployed loan officer from Flushing Township.

"She asked me if I was one of the actors and I said, 'Yes.' and she was so freaked out. She was so excited. She got on the phone while I was in the bathroom and said, 'One of the actors just asked me to use the bathroom.' "

Flint real estate agent Ryan Eashoo is scheduled to be an extra as a doorman to The Kremlin, the Flint bar owned by Ferrell's character in the movie. Eashoo, who owns the building where exterior shots for The Kremlin are being created, was featured in a Flint Journal article last week and he's since got numerous requests, including several new-found friends wanting him to help them get in the movie.

"I said, 'I can't pull any strings,' " Eashoo said

. "One guy left a note on my office door asking to be in the movie and saying, 'I'm 5-foot-9, 225 pounds and got a goatee.' Another guy offered me 50 percent of whatever he makes if I got him in."

Some elderly women also called to complain to Eashoo about how the filming downtown was going to disrupt their errands.

"One woman called and said she was very upset because she was going to the downtown post office and if the streets were closed (for the movie) she wanted me to mail her (bills) for her," Eashoo said.

Eashoo said he returned every phone call he got and advised the women concerned about traffic to call the local police.

"I said if they have any problems to call me back," Eashoo said. "But it's not my fault (film crews) are blocking off roads."

Grand Blanc Township resident Marc Stratman, 52, and his bright red 1971 Pontiac LeMans called the Junk Yard Dog, have been called in every day so far this week. He started Sunday filming scenes in Flint and was in Detroit for shooting Monday and Tuesday.

Aside from the makeup and costume fitting, he hasn't been treated like a celebrity, but he has seen a few.

On Monday in Detroit, he saw "Semi-Pro" star Will Ferrell and he thinks he saw co-star Woody Harrelson.

"I saw that it was Will in the distance filming a scene outside the Coliseum (basketball stadium being used for the movie). It was a hollering and screaming kind of deal and from a distance. I believe it was Woody Harrelson walking back into the Coliseum. But we were quite a ways back."

But he definitely saw Andy Richter of "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" fame in the food line at the set. He also saw Andre "3000" Benjamin near the area where extras gather.

"I was sitting and (Richter) came through our catering line and got food there," Stratman said. "He took his food and walked out. There may have been something in particular he wanted."

Stratman of Grand Blanc Township said he's also learning the tricks of being noticed by extras casting officials in order to get in scenes.

"I got a system, but I don't want to put it in the newspaper because I don't want anybody catching on to my little secrets," Stratman said.

Stratman, who has minimal use of his legs and uses crutches on the set but a wheelchair at home, said he his having a great time doing the scenes. He also delayed plans to have hernia surgery this week, which is related to his condition, in order to be in the movie.

"I kind of expected this thing to be exactly what it is," Stratman said. It's a lot of hurry up and wait. And you get told one thing by one person and another thing by another person. But I'm having a blast."